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Reading and Study Habits of Medical Students on Clerkships and Performance Outcomes: a Multi-institutional Study

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Abstract

Purpose

To describe medical students’ reading habits and resources used during clinical clerkships, and to assess whether these are associated with performance outcomes.

Method

Authors administered a cross-sectional survey to medical students at 3 schools midway through the clerkship year. Closed and open-ended questions focused on resources used to read and learn during the most recent clerkship, time spent and purpose for using these resources, influencers on study habits, and barriers. A multiple regression model was used to predict performance outcomes.

Results

Overall response rate was 53% (158/293). Students spent most of their time studying for clerkship exams and rated question banks and board review books as most useful for exam preparation. Sixty-seven percent used textbooks (including pocket-size). For patient care, online databases and pocket-sized textbooks were rated most useful. The main barrier to reading was time. Eighty percent of students ranked classmates/senior students as most influential regarding recommended resources. Hours spent reading for exams was the only significant predictor of USMLE Step 2 scores related to study habits. The predominant advice offered to future students was to read.

Conclusions

These findings can help inform students and educational leadership about resources students use, how they use them, and links to performance outcomes, in an effort to guide them on maximizing learning on busy clerkships. With peers being most influential, it is important not only to provide time to help students build strong reading and study habits early, but also to guide them towards reliable resources, so they will recommend useful information to others.

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Availability of Data and Material

Deidentified survey response data available upon request.

Code Availability

Survey administered using Qualtrics.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Children’s National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave, Washington, NW, 20010, USA

    Terry Kind

  2. The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA

    Terry Kind

  3. Department of Science Education, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA

    Doreen M. Olvet

  4. Department of Emergency Medicine and Science Education, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA

    Gino Farina

  5. Office of Evaluation, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA

    Loren Kenda & Stephanie L. Sarandos

  6. Department of Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA

    April J. Yasunaga & Janet A. Jokela

  7. Department of Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA

    Richard J. Simons

Authors
  1. Terry Kind
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  2. Doreen M. Olvet
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  3. Gino Farina
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  4. Loren Kenda
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  5. Stephanie L. Sarandos
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  6. April J. Yasunaga
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  7. Janet A. Jokela
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  8. Richard J. Simons
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Contributions

All authors contributed substantially to the manuscript warranting authorship as per ICMJE guidelines, i.e., to the study conception/design or acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of the data, drafting/revising, providing final approval, and are ensuring accountability.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Terry Kind.

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Ethics Approval

This study was approved as exempt by the Institutional Review Boards at each participating institution, with The George Washington University Office of Human Research serving as the lead. Consent from participants was obtained electronically.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

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Kind, T., Olvet, D.M., Farina, G. et al. Reading and Study Habits of Medical Students on Clerkships and Performance Outcomes: a Multi-institutional Study. Med.Sci.Educ. 31, 1957–1966 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-021-01409-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-021-01409-5

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